There is known generally in the prior art labels or the like, which are adapted to be attached to the surface of articles or product containers which include a peelable coupon which can be removed intact by the consumer. A common use of such label assemblies is seen with store coupons that are attached to product containers on the shelf and are detached and used by the consumer at the time of the purchase. The redeemable coupons associated with the label assembly are used to promote the product and increase sales in a relatively low cost and convenient manner. Previously coupons have been printed on the article or the product container such that it could be cut from the container and used in the next purchase of the product. In another technique, the coupon was placed in the container itself requiring consumption of the product before the coupon could be obtained and used.
The more recent label assemblies which include coupons or the like adapted to be attached to the surface of a product container such that the coupon may be removed and used by the consumer at the time of purchase of the product are found to be most desirable. Such a technique gives the consumer more incentive to purchase the product and receive a discounted price via use of the coupon attached to the label assembly at the time of purchase, in a very convenient and easy manner.
Some known coupon structures have previously utilized pressure-sensitive adhesive constructions wherein the adhesive has been pattern or zone coated such that the coupon lies on an uncoated portion and is attached coated portions of the label via perforations. When use of the coupon is desired the perforations are ruptured to release the uncoated coupon. In the last label assembly described, it is desirable, in order to achieve the advantages of the removable coupon, that the coupon and label assembly do not have tacky or sticky adhesive material on surfaces handled by the consumer. If such surfaces were sticky, this would create an annoyance in the use of the coupon and would be a practical disadvantage in many instances. Thus, the desirable feature of providing a removable coupon without leaving a sticky surface on the article, coupon or label has been achieved in the prior art by means of such pattern coating or more recently by use of dry residue adhesives applied to the coupon and label assembly such that the coupon is retained on the label assembly until removal thereof is desired. One example of such a system is shown by Dunsirn et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,838.
Another label assembly is shown by deBruin in U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,166 which shows instantly redeemable coupons, wherein the coupon is coated with a first and second dry coating thereon and is then secured to a base stock material by means of a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. The first and second dry coating layers are incompatible such that in combination they act as a release coating which separates at the interface of the two layers. Thus, the coupon may be separated from the label assembly with no tacky or sticky surfaces as desired.
Another problem associated with the releasable coupon label assembly is found in that the base or primary label material should be clearly visible in a continuous, unobstructed manner after the releasable coupon has been removed from the label assembly. Additionally, printing upon the back side of the coupon itself should be visible in the same manner. The prior art has shown various schemes for generally meeting these advantages, but the resulting assemblies are relatively complex and expensive, making the extensive use of such releasable coupons somewhat impracticable.
It has thus been found to be desirable to provide a label assembly which avoids the mechanical approaches of the prior art in perforating, pattern gumming, or applying a dry residue adhesive, varnish or the like. A much simplified construction of the label assembly makes manufacture thereof easy and inexpensive, thereby facilitating use of releasable coupons in a label assembly.